Bed and Breakfast Diary
Here we will keep you up to date with what's new at Duntrune.
February 2008
Blue skies, bright sunshine, snowdrops blooming and daffodils fit to burst – welcome to Scotland.
Although we are closed at the moment, we already have quite a number of bookings for the coming months and are almost ready to meet our new guests. During this month we have been spring cleaning. The dining room curtains will be done next week – no mean feat when each of the four curtains is over 3 metres in length and 4 widths, fully lined. Fortunately we have located a firm which will dry clean in situ. Our fingers are crossed that the new kitchen work top will be installed before the beginning of March. More smoke detectors are in place and all the extinguishers have passed their yearly test. We are raring to go!
A number of our guests this year are researching family history and we have been able to find the streets and even sometimes the houses of their ancestors. We have taken photos and sent them off across the world. It is a fascinating hobby. We recently researched our plumber’s family tree and he was amazed to find that he had mostly Irish blood.
Following on from Olwyn’s discovery of Canadian connections towards the end of last year she has discovered that her unknown aunt married for a second time. Now Olwyn is awaiting news about 2 more cousins.
Plans are going well for the Roots Festival 6th – 13th September and it should prove an exciting time for all those with family ties in Angus and Dundee.
Due to several family bereavements the week before Christmas, many of our cards remained unposted, but thank you for all your good wishes. We are slowly managing to respond. It was lovely to hear your news and how the rest of your visit to Scotland went.
We have discovered that 2 groups of visitors have posted lovely comments about us on Trip Advisor. Thank you so much.
Best wishes to you all and happy holidays in 2008.
December 2007
At the beginning of this year I told you about our clan gathering and now I’m looking forward to getting on with more family history research. Great surprises this year. I unexpectedly made contact with the family of my father’s sister. I never knew her as she emmigrated to Canada in the 1920s. Her grandson made a posting on Ancestry.com which I was surfing late one night. I also made contact with a second cousin on my mother’s side. He lives in Edinburgh. I knew my mother had a cousin many years younger but didn’t know where she was or if she had any family, but found a name on the back of an old calendar – just the lucky breaks we family historians are always thrilled to find.
Isn’t it strange how things pile up and you think you’ll never get them done. Then a window of opportunity arises and you get through everything like a hot knife through butter. Well that’s just what has happened. I thought there would be no time to write more in the diary before 2008 but I have had a good excuse to do no housework. The renovations to the bathroom which I unrealistically thought would take 3 weeks are still ongoing after 6 weeks. I see no need to move the accumulated dust around the house so it can stay put till the job is complete. After all it’s as easy to remove the dust of 6 weeks as it is of 3 weeks. The only trouble is we have become so used to it we don’t really notice. Perhaps I should start looking with the eyes of all the relatives and friends who will be arriving in the coming weeks.
Anyway, for once we have Christmas cards ready to send before the last day of posting, I’ve started on the baking and cooking for Hogmanay and New Year’s Day, we are booked to go to the pantomime with our grandsons, drawers and cupboards have been tidied and mountains of rubbish have gone for recycling.
See – it’s only surface mess – and it’ll all be hidden under the decorations – and the presents will be under the tree.
And here’s another opportunity to wish you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
P.S I’ve just looked at the diary for earlier this year, and notice “plus ça change, plus c’est la mème chose”
November 2007
Where does time go? We didn’t even have time to finish our July diary and here we are in November. Having re-read July’s entry we realise pride comes before a fall. The prospects for the bumper crop of carrots came crashing down one night when the vegetable gate was left slightly ajar and – well you can guess – our “friends” the rabbits couldn’t believe their luck – a midnight feast!
So much has happened in the past few months as we have been busier and busier. Thank you to all our visitors who have recommended us to friends and relatives. We are taking a break during November, December, January and February but already have enquiries for 2008. We are especially looking forward to the Roots Festival in September when we hope many of you will come to walk in the footsteps of your ancestors. Meantime we are refurbishing our own bathroom and having the outside paintwork renewed.
We are still having trouble with the rabbits but Andy the gardener has constructed raised beds and secured fencing round another area so the vegetables are thriving. Raspberry bushes are in place. For the first time ever our quince produced very few fruits, so jelly making this year has not been possible. However a bumper crop of plums from my brother has meant lots of plum jam and plum crumble. A solitary apple from the trees we planted earlier was rather tasty and hopefully we will have a good crop next year.
We have managed to reduce the grey squirrel population as part of a community drive to protect our native red squirrels. It is probably too late to entice the reds back here but we may, through vigilance, help to provide a buffer zone.
Olwyn has also been busy with many new adult pupils, who have come from some distance for voice coaching. She is also involved in running workshops for Voice Care Network UK, mainly for teachers.
The temperature has dropped quite considerably but it is still bright and sunny and the autumn colours are gorgeous. The nights are drawing in but we are enjoying evenings by the log fire planning for next season.
The call of the geese has died away and all that remains is to wish you have a very happy Christmas season and time to plan your next holiday journey. We hope to see you all again.
July 2007
We can’t believe we are now more than half way into our season. We have been so busy that we didn’t manage to write May’s goings-on. Not only are we busy with bed and breakfast, Olwyn has been busy with teaching voice work. A high light was a play by junior pupils – in the lime tree!
Our visitors haven’t had the best of weather but they have been appreciative of our lush greenery. We can’t say we are too enthusiastic at the rate of growth of the weeds - but the rabbits are growing even fatter on the lawn. At least the flower beds are being ignored by them. Unfortunately, the vegetables are not doing well. The sprouting broccoli was a great success, the small turnips are reasonable, the carrots look promising but the beetroot and dwarf beans are so dwarf they barely exist. The lettuce leaves are very tasty. The blueberries have disappeared, the brambles are going wild, the gooseberry bushes have produced some fruit but we ran out of time for the raspberries. The rhubarb is very healthy but we should not pull it until next year. The apple and plum trees are thriving. Hey, it’s not too bad after all. We have had modest success.
A new gardener who has a wonderful organic garden in the village is coming to help and we look forward to spectacular results next year.
We have enjoyed spending time with all our guests. We have been surprised at the number of American visitors considering the exchange rate. It makes it very expensive for them and we can only hope that they feel they have been given value. It has been exciting sharing family history with many of them and finding all sorts of connections. Australia and New Zealand have been well represented. Only today six Australians left to visit the Isle of May where their grandfather had been the lighthouse keeper.
March 2007
Well, here we are in the middle of March having enjoyed a mild winter, to find ourselves with a very cold snap with even slight falls of snow. The other morning we awoke to a winter wonderland but by 10am the sun had “disappeared” it all. This after spending several days shirt sleeved gardening! The weather certainly keeps us guessing.
The snowdrops are going back to rest while blue Scylla, bright yellow daffodils, pink Bergenia and multi-coloured Primroses are giving a beautiful display.
Great tits, blue tits, coal tits, robins, blackbirds, chaffinches, green finches, dunnocks, jays and woodpeckers have been with us throughout the season. The calling of returning geese have been heard high above and we expect to see some more migrant birds returning in the next few weeks. For the first time I spotted a nuthatch climbing the trunk of the willow tree at the front door. Apparently this bird is rarely seen, so I feel very privileged.
Our apple and plum trees are now in situ. Rhubarb, rasps, grozers (gooseberries), brambles (blackberries) and blueberries are awaiting their planting turn.
Once we are sure of no sudden frosts we’ll sow the vegetables.
We are pleased to say that we have now gained a silver award for sustainability.
Since we reopened at the beginning of the month, we have had a steady stream of visitors – some visiting family nearby, some return visitors having a “chill out” break, some visiting Scotland for the first time, some walking in the footsteps of their ancestors – USA, New Zealand, Australia, France, England and Wales have all been represented so far.
Over the next few months we will be welcoming guests from Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and hopefully many other countries. It is certainly an exciting time ahead for us.
Looking forward to meeting you.
January 2007
Celebrations of Christmas, New Year and McRobbie Clan Gathering ( 67 cousins and second cousins getting to know each other) may be over but life at Duntrune House is anything but dull. Although we are closed for B&B until March, we have a different type of guest at the moment – plumbers, plasterers, painters, carpet layers etc making the house more comfortable and beautiful for our guests who are already booking up to stay with us. It is exciting to anticipate meeting new people and welcoming back old friends. We have recently been to a tourism net working event where we heard about future trends for B&B businesses and we are happy to find that we seem to be in tune with what our guests expect – an experience of Scottish life - not just a clean, comfortable place to sleep.
In the garden we are advancing with our project of producing our own vegetables and fruit. The rabbits have so far been foiled in their attempts to sabotage the vegetable plot and we are able to harvest leeks, sprouting broccoli, spring onions and (fingers crossed) cauliflower. Soon it will be time to sow carrots etc. We have identified an area for growing fruit and will be preparing the ground for that. It is a slow process but worth the effort.
Olwyn is busy this month with Addressing the Haggis at Burns Suppers. Many of you have puzzled over the words when having a Scottish meal with us during your stay.
This brings me to the latest news of the Roots Festival in Angus and Dundee. It will take place during the week 6th – 13th September 2008. That may seem a long time away but with guests expected from all over the world it means a lot of planning for travel as well as for the organisers. The festival will have great interest for all those with an ancestral connection to this area but also for anyone wanting to learn about Scottish culture. Visitors will be able to participate in many events and have a real experience of what it means to be Scottish. A dedicated website is in the making and we will give you the URL as soon as it is up and running.
Duntrune House hopes to be a successful player and contributor to this exciting event. Members of Clan Graham may be especially interested as Duntrune House has so many connections with the Graham family.
November 2006
Frae a’ the airts the wind did blaw
Braw guests to us fae far awa’
Forbye they cam frae nearer parts
To share wi’ us the joy o’ their hearts.
Duntrune House has seen mony a day
And now in my little lay
I’ll try to share wi’ you
The passing o’ the year that’s nearly thro’.
Here my muse its wing maun cour
Sic rhyming’s far ayont my power
Rabbie’s talent disna reside in me
So prose will be favoured now by me.
2006 has been a very busy and rewarding year for us. At breakfast or dinner our guests have taken us round the world. Conversations have covered every subject under the sun – from how to cope with marauding squirrels to swapping recipes and concerns about our planet – not to mention sharing passions for history, genealogy, antiques and enjoying each others company.
This year we have had help from a gardener to redo the paths, replant the borders and trim the trees. What a difference that has made! A wonderful view has been opened up over the river .
Olwyn has at last fenced in a patch for vegetables (as defence against the rabbits) and by next year we should have our own organic carrots etc. We have had a fine crop of quinces and Barrie has made many pounds of jelly.
We have fitted a new shower in the pink room and are shortly to be redecorating the bed/sitting room in the self contained flat.
We are continuing to upgrade our green credentials and hope to be awarded a silver standard. We have been very pleased with our guests’ reaction to our Green People toiletries, especially as many of you have read about them in the guest packs and have decided to buy and use them from now on.
Our first guests of 2006 arrived on 2nd January and our last guests leave on 2nd December. However, in future, we have decided to close for the months of November, December, January and February and in line with our sustainability policy we are encouraging guests to stay for a minimum of two nights between March and October. There is so much of interest in this part of Scotland – a hidden gem- and so accessible that guests have regretted the lack of time allowed in their itinerary.
We have had many guests visiting their Scottish roots and it has been great fun unexpectedly discovering links to our own family trees. In addition we have been able to help others get through their “brick wall”. We have gained accreditation for Ancestral Tourism from Visit Scotland. 2008 will see the launching of a Dundee and Angus Roots Festival when we hope to have many more visitors walking in the footsteps of their ancestors – seeing where they lived and the lives they led. 2009 is the Year of the Homecoming when you will be able enjoy events over the whole country – music, dancing, festivals, food, and, of course, drink. It will be a time of proud celebration of all that is Scottish and we hope those of Scottish blood, however remote, will come and connect with those of us still living in this beautiful country.
Nearer in time, 2007 sees the return of the Open Golf Championship to Carnoustie in July. Already most accommodation has been booked up and late bookers are having to find accommodation farther afield. With tourism being one of our biggest “industries” it is a great time for our economy.
For us the joy of running a b&b is meeting all you lovely,interesting people, hearing about your families, your work, your hobbies, your country and indeed your holiday experiences in Scotland.
Thank you for your cards, mementoes, photographs, CDs, tasty bits but most of all for coming to stay with us – haste ye back.
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